Coalition wants to ‘recapture the energy’ of abortion law protests

AUSTIN — Nearly a year after thousands of abortion-rights activists brought the Texas Legislature to a standstill, a coalition of liberal groups announced a campaign Tuesday to “recapture the energy” of the movement.

#FightBackTX, unveiled in a morning conference call by the Texas Research Institute, Texas Freedom Network, NARAL Pro-Choice Texas, Whole Women’s Health and the ACLU of Texas, is centered on a documentary-style website (fightbacktx.com) about last summer’s protests, which aimed to stop the anti-abortion House Bill 2 from making it through the state Senate.

Protests culminating in a 13-hour filibuster last June 25 by state Sen. Wendy Davis — now the Democratic nominee for governor — temporarily derailed the legislation. But the bill eventually passed, giving Texas some of the most strict abortion laws in the country, including a ban after 20 weeks of pregnancy and requirements that abortion facilities meet ambulatory surgical center standards and abortion doctors have admitting privileges at a nearby hospital.

The new campaign asks abortion-rights supporters to “dust off their orange,” a reference to the color worn last summer, and sign an online petition as well as well as change their Facebook and Twitter profile pictures.

“It’s not just about repealing harmful legislation like HB2, although that’s definitely a goal, but it’s also about changing our culture,” said Kathy Miller, executive director of the Texas Freedom Network, during the call. “Changing our culture will require tremendous activism at the grass-roots level.”

During the call, Amy Hagstrom Miller of Whole Women’s Health said the new restrictions have led 21 licensed abortion facilities to close, leaving 20 in operation and forcing more women to drive hundreds of miles or attempt self-abortion.